


Just Breathe

by Gwendolynn_C



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon typical alcohol use, F/M, Fluff, kegster
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-02
Updated: 2016-10-02
Packaged: 2018-08-19 04:49:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 830
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8190673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwendolynn_C/pseuds/Gwendolynn_C
Summary: “Wow, it’s cold.” Chris comments, his breath freezes when it hits the air and he grins. He makes an ‘o’ with his mouth and lets out a stream of mist. “Look, Cait, I’m a dragon.”She laughs and just looks at him for a moment, he’s beautiful and she loves him so much she feels like her heart may burst with it.





	

Some people call the hockey frat gross. They’re probably right. It always smells a little bit too much like BO, despite some of the cleaner inhabitant’s best intentions. There are rumors that the green couch used to be beige. The floor is always marked with dirt tracks and sticky patches are probably (hopefully) just pie filling. Caitlin Farmer loves it.

She loves avoiding wrestling hockey bros as she walks up the lawn. She loves plugging her ears against people shouting over someone’s music as she comes through the door. She loves sharing a beer with the boys and getting congratulated on her burping skills. It’s the complete opposite from her life at home, where she’s expected to be poised and ladylike and immaculate at all times. The hockey frat is gross, but it’s loud and loving and free. It’s her second favorite place on campus, after the Women’s Volleyball Team’s house of course.

Caitlin pushes against the press of people dancing and drinking and celebrating Samwell’s win. It was a brutal game, Nursey is sitting in the corner, leg propped up on a stool, icing his knee. Chris and Will are keeping him company. They’re laughing and it looks like Chris’ chirping game is on point tonight considering the way Nursey elbows him and Will gets between them, looking concerned. As Caitlin gets closer, she can hear their conversation better.

“As your Captain.” Will shouts over the din. “I am telling you two knuckleheads to knock it off. We’re gonna need Nursey for the next game. Mandatory truce.”

“You know you might have the Frogs fooled, Dexy.” Nursey replies. “But we’ll never respect you.”

“I still remember when you were a tiny Freshman. Big eared and grumpy and cute.” Chris laughs.

“Fuck you, I’m cute now.” Will looks about ready to break his proclaimed truce so Caitlin jumps in.

“Hey can I borrow Chris for a minute?” She asks, already grabbing onto the hood of Chris’ Shark’s hoodie.

“Who’s Chris?” Dex asks.

Up close, Dex’s face is flushed red and his solo cup is nearly empty. Caitlin rolls her eyes and tugs at Chris’ hood until he stands.

“What’s up? Oh, wanna dance?”

“I was gonna get some fresh air, wanna come?”

They leave Derek giggling hysterically and Will still looking confused. It’s easier to get through the crowd with Chris leading the way. He’s taller and broader and everyone knows who he is: the senior who spent all summer at NHL training camps, the goalie who’s brought Samwell so much success and probably the nicest person on campus. People make way for him.

When they get outside they’re the only ones on the porch, which makes sense considering how cold it is. Caitlin almost wants to go inside and grab her coat or a blanket or something, but the chill feels nice.

“Wow, it’s cold.” Chris comments, his breath freezes when it hits the air and he grins. He makes an ‘o’ with his mouth and lets out a stream of mist. “Look, Cait, I’m a dragon.”

She laughs and just looks at him for a moment, he’s beautiful and she loves him so much she feels like her heart may burst with it.

“So were you just getting overwhelmed in there? It was pretty noisy. I think Tango’s boyfriend invited all his soccer teammates. I swear, if these kegsters keep getting bigger and bigger we might have to figure something out.”

“I like them.” Caitlin says simply. “You played amazing today. I’m so proud of you, sweetie.”

Chris launches into a play-by-play of the game, even though she was able to attend it. He rocks back and forth with excitement as he describes everything. By the time he’s finished he’s looking at Caitlin a little sheepishly.

“Sorry, you asked to come out here was there something you wanted to talk about?”

She nods. “My Mom called today.”

“Oh. Did you fight again?”

“No, thank god.” Caitlin’s teeth are chattering as she speaks and she hopes Chris doesn’t insist they go inside.

He doesn’t. He embraces her tightly, holding her close to his chest and rubbing his hands up and down her arms.

“But she’s got me all tied up in knots about the future.” She continues. “About after graduation and do I have a job set up and do _you_ know you’re going to do and am I dropping hints that I want you to propose because a spring engagement before graduation would be so _sweet_! And ugh, can’t I worry about exams?”

“Parents are difficult.” He presses a kiss to her temple. “We don’t have to figure out everything right now, you know. We’re allowed to take our time.”

She sighs against him and takes a moment to enjoy his warmth, to feel the beat of the music thrum from the Haus, before leaning back so she can look at him.

“I love you, Chris.”

He grins kisses her soft and slow. “I love you too Caitie.”

**Author's Note:**

> First posted on my tumblr at diamoric-lardo.tumblr.com

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Just Breathe [Podfic]](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8232452) by [rhythmia](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rhythmia/pseuds/rhythmia)




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